


strong as coffee, sweet as sugar

by exaltjaden



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, M/M, im always gay for bara ninja princes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-10
Updated: 2016-04-12
Packaged: 2018-06-01 11:12:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6516100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exaltjaden/pseuds/exaltjaden
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>cyrus needs help catching a barista's eye, and who's to help but kamui?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. best friends come in handy

**Author's Note:**

> heeello! hi there. my name is jaden and this is my first ever (published) fic!  
> i adore suzukaze/cyrus (kaze/silas) so much. theyre sweethearts god bless. please forgive me for using prelocalized names, i've been with fates since it was first announced in jan 2015 so they're kinda stuck with me. if you're very bothered by them, try using in my words for chrome to replace them!  
> my kamui is also a little more dramatic than in canon, and she tends to be a bit nosy as well.  
> just a little warning; my chapters tend to be a bit on the shorter side (around 1k words each) but i usually have time to write so i'll probably update often. and sorry if anything seems too rushed, i'm more of an artist than anything.  
> tumblr - matsuurin  
> instagram - yoshizomi

The room was warm, a contrast from the chilling winter air outside. A gray haired boy sat at a table near the window, his coat thrown across the back of the chair with papers were haphazardly scattered in front of him. His paperwork and cup of coffee were long forgotten as he leaned forward on his arms, his mind preoccupied for the time being. He thought of strong arms and violet eyes and messy, green hair.

It's quite hard to think of someone when they happen to be in the same room as you.

Or when your best friend happens to pretend to clean tables to start up a conversation with you.

"Hey, Cyrus," a white haired girl called, snapping her fingers in front of his face as she abandoned her washcloth, "you know, one day he's going to notice you looking at him."

This girl was Kamui, his so called best friend for roughly 10 or so years, he couldn't quite remember. She was possibly the bane of his existence at this point, but also his only wingwoman, so he couldn't complain. However, her wingwoman skills were lacking at the moment, as he had yet to even talk to _him_.

And _him_ , well, that was another story entirely. He was Kamui's coworker at the coffee shop they were at, and practically the reason Cyrus had put up with coffee everyday (that was until Kamui had introduced him to frappucinos, he'd just drunk black coffee before). Since the first time he'd seen him, his crush had developed increasingly fast, a habit he was mocked for by his friend. He couldn't help it if the man was extremely attractive.

The girl had said his name was Suzukaze, and though she normally knew plenty of facts about the majority of her coworkers, she didn't have much to say for him. She'd told him that he was two years older than them, liked to cook and work out (Cyrus could definitely tell), and that he was polite and a generally leveled headed person. That was really all she had found out in the past three or so months since she'd started working there, and hadn't come up with anything new since.

Pushing her hands away from his face, he could feel heat creep up his neck as he looked away from her back to his abandoned schoolwork. "Yeah, yeah, that's what you always say," he joked, "but it hasn't happened yet, has it? There's no harm in a few glances, is there?" He reached over to grab his cup, only realizing the coffee had gone cold after he had taken a drink. The boy sputtered for a moment, causing his friend to snicker before she countered him.

"That's what you always say.." she dragged on, rolling her eyes, placing her hands on her hips, and putting on her best Cyrus impression. This only caused him to roll his eyes back, a grin settling its way onto his face at her antics. "But, seriously, he'll notice eventually. Why don't you just try and ask him on a date now? I could get you some serious info, you know." She had always been more of an do-it-then-and-now kind of person.

"I've barely even spoken a few sentences to the guy!"

"Yeah, but I've told him plenty about you!"

"You didn't-- what did you say?!"

"Only the basics. Name, age, major, that one time you asked Elise--"

"Don't even finish that sentence."

Being as childish as she is, Kamui simply puffed out her cheeks at him, furrowing her eyebrows in discontent. "Yeah, well, I think you should go for it. I'll even find out if he likes guys first. Deal?" The deal /was/ tempting, and he could finally be at rest knowing if he had a chance or not. Reluctantly, and because he knew she wouldn't give up, he nodded. Well, how much worse could it get?

Probably worse.

"Fine, fine, you win. _But_ , you're still riding on the hope that he likes guys."

"Hey, he practically radiates gay," Kamui protested. Only when she noticed the other's confused look did she elaborate. "I radiate gay, you radiate gay, practically everyone I know radiates gay. And can I just say, my Gaydar is never wrong, this coming from a lesbian."

Cyrus suppressed a groan, "Oh, my God. Please never say that again."

"What? It's true!"

"How would you even know if it's true?"

"I was right about Takumi, wasn't I? Anyways, I'll go find out right now. I've been stalling with washing tables for too long," picking up her dirtied washcloth, she waved it at him, "and since I actually have to work, I'll text you." and with a wave of her hand, she returned back to the counter with a 'see ya!'.

The gray haired boy tried to be secretive as he watched her strike up a conversation with the older man, although anyone could plainly tell he was sneaking glances at the two. It was a short talk, and Cyrus found himself clutching his phone the entire time. Suzukaze had gone back to work and the white haired girl quickly grabbed her phone from where it was resting on the counter. Her fingers moved at a quick pace and it was only seconds before Cyrus received the text.

[04:02 PM] Kamui: BOY

[04:02 PM] Kamui: GUESS WHAT

[04:02 PM] Kamui: HE SAID HE HASNT HAD A BF SINCE HS

[04:03 PM] Kamui: #GAYDARLIVES

[04:03 PM] Cyrus: Oh my god.

[04:03 PM] Cyrus: Are you serious right now.

[04:04 PM] Kamui: OBVI

[04:04 PM] Kamui: HE THOUGHT IT WAS A WEIRD QUESTION BC HE KNOWS IM GAY AS HELL

[04:05 PM] Kamui: BUT GUESS WHAT DEAL U HAVE 2 FULFILL NOW

[04:05 PM] Kamui: SUCKER

[04:06 PM] Cyrus: Oh no.

From over the counter, he saw the girl give him a mischievous grin, only to be replaced by her hands making a heart. The boy stuck his tongue out at her, only stopping when he noticed _him_ looking at them both, a small smile playing on his lips. Swallowing, Cyrus began to file all his papers together.

Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

 


	2. okay, maybe best friends don't

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello hello i am back yet again. this update is about 500 words longer than my last one b/c i got a little carried away oops.  
> also, fun little tidbit; and in this au, kamui's grown up with the hoshido family, & aqua with the nohr family as their stepsisters. they're not related in anyway here. i also hc the nohrs as french, and they all speak french at home. aqua usually slips casual phrases into her sentences + its also a way for me to improve my own french! :-)  
> please forgive me if anything is rushed or bad, it's 10pm and i'm very tired.

After Cyrus had hastily left the shop, his day didn't seem to improve from there.

He'd called Aqua, another one of his close friends (and also Kamui's girlfriend), about the deal the two had made on the walk home. The girl was sympathetic, but even her stoic exterior broke to allow a few giggles. She was also perhaps the only other one that knew about his ridiculous crush.

"I can't believe I actually agreed in the first place," he sighed, running a hand through his already messy hair. The boy had believed that maybe, if he prayed hard enough, that the other would be tragically straight and Kamui would leave him alone about the whole fiasco. Apparently, miracles really didn't exist.

A soft laugh made its way through the speaker, "I can't say I blame you. Even if you had been reluctant to agree, I'm sure Kamui would've still managed to force you into it somehow."

Aqua was usually right, and this time was no exception.

"I hate that you're right. Anyways, I've gotta go. I have an English paper due by tomorrow and a date to panic over," the backpack on his shoulder suddenly felt too heavy, and he sighed for what must have been the umpteenth time that day, "but I'll see you tomorrow, yeah? I'll need your help planning, I'm only ever good with picnics."

"I'm not sure what you could possibly need help with, considering you own multiple pairs of the same outfit. But, yes, Cyrus. See you tomorrow." He could hear the lightness in her voice as she joked, and the happiness seemed to affect him as well.

And as he said his goodbyes, he smiled for what seemed like the first time that day.

\--

The next day was going to, seemingly, be a mess.

Cyrus was already dressed and over to Kamui and Aqua's apartment by eleven. The blue haired girl was the only one at the apartment, much to the boy's happiness, as Kamui had left for first shift at eight. This had left plenty of time for the two to formulate a plan, and just enough time for Cyrus to leave at twelve.

Tanned hands reached for an already prepared tea cup, using a straw to swirl as the boy sat down. A small smile graced the girl's lips as she noticed the other's impending distress, and she managed to make her expression seem reassuring. Cyrus, however, just groaned.

"How am I even going to do this?" he questioned, leaning forward and resting his head on his arms, "Without making a complete and utter fool of myself, I mean." Aqua offered a small pat on the arm in condolence.

"First off, you could just start with being yourself," she suggested, raising her eyebrows at him with a look that read 'are you serious'.

"Yeah, but 'myself' is a huge, stuttering, blushing mess! So, basically, that's not a good choice."

"Ever so charming you are, Cyrus."

Rolling his eyes, the gray haired boy couldn't keep the smile off his face from the comment. He opted to instead hide it behind his own cup of tea, taking a long sip before sighing. How exactly were you supposed to ask someone on a date, specifically a someone whom you've barely talked to, and make it sound casual? He mentally marked the date as 'The Day Cyrus Made a Huge Fool of Himself in a Public Place'.

A brief moment of thought appeared on Aqua's face, "Ouais, enfin…" fiddling with her nails, she directed her gaze to the white tips, "you could just try something simple. Possibly a quieter place rather than somewhere louder, considering you should take some time to know him--"

"Aqua, you're a genius!"

"--please, let me finish. Anyways, opt for somewhere quiet. Preferably inexpensive since you're broke and you don't want him to pay, which would be one way he'd never want to go out with you again." she finally placed her hands in front of her, the regular emotionless expression she wore present on her face (Cyrus didn't think he would ever get used to it). "There's this one cafe I've recently been to, um, Touma, if I'm correct? You could try there."

Puzzlement spread across Cyrus's face, "Cafe? But, he's surrounded by coffee everyday, why would he want to--"

"Cyrus, he works at a coffee shop. This is a cafe, as in sandwiches, and actual food."

"Oh."

\--

After spending an hour at the girls' apartment, the two had formulated a Foolproof™ plan (as proclaimed by Kamui when they had called her). Even if it was seamless, the thought of actually going up to the guy and asking him on a date _in public_ , made Cyrus feel nauseous. Hopefully, he wouldn't throw up anywhere near him (the bathroom, though, maybe).

He'd left Aqua a bit ago, and was currently pacing in front of the coffee shop, debating on whether or not to actually commit to the deal. Kamui would probably call him a 'shit best friend' if he backed out, though, and an upset Kamui wasn't the first thing he wanted to deal with. And, hey, maybe the guy would say yes. That would definitely make the entire thing worth it.

Before reaching the five minute mark in his pacing, he heard the bell above the door ring and a 'hey!' being directed at him. Looking upwards, he was met with the aforementioned girl, her hands on her hips and a scowl on her face. She was certainly not happy.

"Do you think I haven't noticed you just standing out here? People are gonna get suspicious seeing a random guy just pacing outside, you know."

Cyrus sighed.

"I'm not the one who made the deal."

"Yes, but, you agreed, right?"

This only prompted another sigh from the boy, however this time it was more overdramatic than anything. With obvious reluctance, he finally made his way through the door as Kamui grinned and gave him a congratulatory clap on the back. When he heard the door close behind them, he realized there was no going back now.

The girl barely spoke a word to him from there, simply telling him to 'order his own coffee for once' and that she'll 'probably be recording the entire thing'. This did little to reassure him, but nonetheless he was glad to know at least she was on his side, even if she supported him in a different fashion. Thankfully for Cyrus, _he_ happened to be at the cash register, fiddling with something he couldn't see, his eyebrows furrowed together something cute.

He could do this.

Maybe.

_Clench. Unclench. Clench. In. Out. In. You've got this._

And, albeit hastily, he made his way to the counter.

The man still hadn't looked up when he finally made his way over, still managing to be preoccupied with something unknown to the other. He did notice his presence, however, began with, "How can I help--" and slowly looking up, "...you?" Brief recognition flashed in his eyes as he raised his eyebrows, crossing his arms and leaning forward on the counter, "It's about time you finally ordered your own coffee, huh?"

That certainly caught Cyrus off guard. He hadn't expected him to actually know who he was. Welp.

"U-Uh, yeah... haha," fiddling with the sleeve of his flannel, the gray haired boy was certain he was turning some shade of pink. He glanced to the side, hoping to get a reassuring thumbs up, or at least something of that like. Luckily for him, she did give him one, only to get distracted by a pink haired girl tripping right at her feet.

She was too caught up in the cute girl falling to actually help her, causing another of her coworkers (Joker, was it?) to fuss, arguing, "Kamui, you're such a useless lesbian", and "at least help her up, dammit!". Cyrus blessed the Gods for this distraction in actuality, because if Kamui was too focused on something else, she wouldn't be there to see him mess up, right?

Suzukaze, on the other hand, seemed unfazed by the distraction. _It probably happens everyday._

"...Anyways," the green haired man began after a long pause, "I assume you want the usual? Kamui's ordered it so many times that I know it quite well by now," he moved over to the coffee machines, before turning around for the last time, "and it's nice to finally talk to you face to face, she's said so much about you."

"Boy, has she," Cyrus muttered mostly to himself, "but, uh, yes. The usual, please. Thank you." He only got a nod in response and when the other turned around, he let out a breath he didn't remember holding. Jesus, this was harder than he thought it would be.

The next minute was tedious, him just fiddling with the bottom button of his shirt as he waited. Soon enough, though, Suzukaze turned around, drink in one hand. Setting it on the counter, he turned to go to the register, before the gray haired boy caught his attention by clearing his throat.

_In. Out._

"I... I was wondering if you wanted to, I don't know, maybe have lunch sometime? I mean, if you don't want to, that's fine, too. I'd just thought I'd ask, um..."

He blinked once.

Twice.

"...Excuse me?"


End file.
